Winter is rough on windshield wiper blades. Under normal circumstances, a windshield wiper blade sits at rest pressed against the windshield. During cold winter months, the rubber of the wiper blade stiffens due to the cold and the resting pressure of the blade against the windshield causes the blade to freeze in a deformed shape which reduces the effectiveness of the wiper blade at clearing the windshield.
Additionally, changes in ambient temperature and internal car temperature frequently result in freeze-thaw situations where precipitation and/or condensation cause the wiper blades to freeze solidly to the windshield. Wiper blades frozen to the windshield interfere with the process of scraping and clearing ice from the windshield. Moreover, when an individual clears snow and ice from a windshield, the individual will typically use an ice scraper or other forcible means to free the blade from its entrapment, which risks damage to the wiper blade in the process.
To prevent this, when snow and/or freezing conditions are anticipated, some individuals will fold their wiper blades back so they stick far out in the air high off of the windshield. This is a less than ideal solution, as the wiper arms themselves are prone to damage in such a position. There is also concern that stretching the tension spring to such an extent may reduce the resting tension of the wiper against the windshield.
Certain devices for raising a windshield wiper off of a windshield are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,873,141 and D714709 disclose simple peg-like spacers. However, these devices are primarily designed for protecting RV windshield wipers from deteriorating during warm weather storage and are poorly suited for winter use, being too small, insubstantial, and easily misplaced in snow cover. Because of the orientation of the device, it can only perform its function if the wiperblade is not directly beneath the wiper arm. Further, these devices are not free standing and rely entirely on the downward pressure of the wiper arm to stay in place.
Devices are also known that are permanently mounted to the wiper or wiper arm assembly. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,571,221 discloses a motor driven pusher rod that is used to lift the wiper arm and thereby lift the wiper blade from the windshield when the wiper is not in use. U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,084 discloses a mechanical arm permanently mounted to the wiper arm that can be swung down to lift the wiper arm sufficiently to raise the wiper blade from the windshield. In addition to the disadvantage of having to be permanently attached to the wiper arm, the moving parts of these devices are also prone to icing up during the winter months rendering them useless or worse yet, actually rendering the windshield wipers inoperable if the mechanism freezes solid in the open position.
Consequently, there is need in the art for improved means for preventing a windshield wiper blade from freezing to a windshield.